“Young Front” member claims compensation for incarceration conditions

Dzmitry Kramyanetski went to court to enforce compensation for humiliating incarceration conditions in the temporary detention facility in Elsk.

Today, June 3, the preliminary court hearing at the suit of the Young Front activist Dzmitry Kremyanetski against the Internal Affairs Directorate of Homel regional executive committee and the Finance Ministry of Belarus was to take place in the court of Central district of Homel. We remind that back on February 22 Mikalai Dzemidzenka and Dzmitry Kramyanetski were detained at Ukrainian border. On February 24 the court of Elsk district sentenced them to 10 days’ arrest. They were found guilty of petty hooliganism, Viasna human rights centre informs.

In his statement to the court the Young Front member enumerates a number of violations of the law he witnessed while he served the sentence in the temporarily detention facility. Thus, after his detention his family was not informed about that, despite the requirements of Article 8.2 of the Code of Execution Procedure of Belarus. The arrested were kept in an isolation cell with violation of the existing rules. “In particular, the space standard per one person was not guaranteed in the cell, I was not given an individual sleeping accomodation, there was no possibility to take a shower. For two days I was kept in the same cell with a person who is a suspect in committing a crime,” Dzmitry Kramyanetski enumerates violations.

There was no natural ventilation in the cell, toilet facilities were situated immediately next to the sleeping and eating area. The meals were inadequate; food was given one time a day.

Thus, the author of the suit felt moral suffering because of lack of fresh air, disgust and shame because he could not maintain personal hygiene properly, and taking meals near the toilet facilities humiliated his honor and dignity. Hunger caused sufferings as well, and fear and insecurity were caused by staying together with a person suspected of criminal offence.

In court the Young Front member demands a compensation of moral damages, 10 mln rubles.

“Such conditions of serving an administrative arrest are undoubtedly an act of an outlawed cruel, inhuman, humiliating treatment,” the young man stressed in his suit.